American Airlines Moves International Service at JFK to New State-of-the-Art Terminal; Also Opens New Customs and Immigration Facility at JFK

NEW YORK, May 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines today moved its international service at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) into Concourse B of its new $1.3 billion terminal, which is near the recently opened and brand-new U.S. Customs and Immigrations facility. This sets the stage for improving the travel experience for passengers arriving into and departing from JFK.

With the opening of Concourse B, American increases its number of gates in the new facility from 18 to 28, with 15 able to handle arriving international flights. When all of the $1.3 billion terminal is complete in early 2008, the facility will have 36 gates, with 19 capable of handling international arrivals.

The latest efforts are part of Phase II of the construction of American's state-of-the-art terminal, the newest and largest airline terminal at JFK, which is designed to serve the needs of millions of domestic and international travelers for decades to come.

Today, American flies from JFK to 38 destinations, 23 of them international, with 92 flights a day. American is the only U.S. airline to fly nonstop from New York to London's Heathrow Airport and Tokyo.

"The new 82,000 square-foot Customs and Immigrations facility has 32 Immigration positions and 10 Customs positions capable of processing 1,600 travelers per hour, compared to just 1,200 per hour previously. That is just one of the ways customers will realize the benefits of American's new terminal," said Dan Garton, American's Executive Vice President -- Marketing. "This terminal represents one of the biggest, boldest and most expensive projects in American Airlines history, and it underscores our commitment to JFK and New York and our determination to preserve New York's status as one of the world's premier domestic and international gateways. It also reaffirms our commitment to provide our customers with the best possible travel experience."

American's new terminal has been built to provide world-class convenience and comfort. The facility is bright and airy and significantly improves passenger flow through increased usage of moving walkways, broader corridors, and larger passenger hold rooms. American serves about 8.5 million customers at JFK Airport annually.

"New York is important to American Airlines for many reasons," Garton said. "A huge number of our customers live here; it's one of the world's top tourist destinations; and as a gateway from the United States to the rest of the world, it plays a very strategic role in our global network. In addition, we have 8,500 members of the AA team in the area, so New York has a very special place in our hearts and minds."

The new Concourse B will offer an extensive concessions program that will include duty-free shopping and popular retailers and service providers such as Tumi, Hugo Boss, Estee Lauder, Lacoste, Oakley, Metropolitan Museum of Art, In Motion Entertainment, and 10 Minute Manicure. It will also offer an exciting variety of food and beverage services, including O'Neals, a well-known New York theater-district, full-service restaurant; Vino Volo, a wine tasting bar and retail shop; a New York Sports Bar; and authentic New York pizza from New York City-based restaurant, Abitino's. Parking for the new facility is greatly improved with the completion last fall by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey of a new four-level parking garage with 1,960 spaces, nearly four times the spaces of the former lot. And the new facility has a new state-of-the-art inline baggage screening system with eight CTX 9000 machines, which can process 3,200 bags per hour.

In June, American will unveil in Concourse B a 11,200 square foot Admirals Club and a 7,000 square foot Flagship Lounge for international First-Class passengers, as well as other eligible First Class passengers on certain domestic transcontinental flights.

Phase I of American's new terminal, which opened in August 2005, features a dramatic, 57,000-square-foot ticketing lobby with a 65-foot ceiling. A recently completed 397-foot long mural by New York artist and architect Matteo Pericoli adorns the east wall of the terminal and depicts a spectacular global skyline with famous buildings from New York and more than 70 other cities. That lobby is linked to a sparkling Concourse C by a 250-foot underground tunnel served by escalators and moving walkways.

Concourse C also includes a 11,300 square-foot Admirals Club, with seating for 185 people. The Admirals Club provides the comfort that world travelers expect and appreciate from American's airport lounges. The club captures the distinctive history and flavor of New York, featuring vintage photographs depicting everything from construction workers atop skyscrapers to historic games at Yankee Stadium, Ebbetts Field and the Polo Grounds. The floor in the shower area is embedded with replicas of New York City manhole covers.

American Airlines has served the New York market for more than 70 years and supports more than 128,000 jobs in the New York metro area. American contributes to more than 50 charitable, community and cultural organizations in the New York area, providing countless volunteer hours, contributions, sponsorships and transportation to these organizations.

About American Airlines

American Airlines is the world's largest airline. American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection(R) airlines serve 250 cities in over 40 countries with more than 4,000 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 1,000 aircraft. American's award-winning Web site, AA.com, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld(R) Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in over 140 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation (NYSE: AMR). AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, the AmericanConnection(R) airlines, AA.com and AAdvantage are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc.

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